What a weekend for Pennsylvania’s two-time No. 1 community college – Butler County Community College!

The BC3 Pioneer Softball team captured its third consecutive Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) Championship on Saturday by beating Garrett College 7-6 at Laura Doerr Park in Saxonburg. Special congratulations to Jessi Reed, Alyssa Dailey, Ashley Coon and Nikki Houk for being selected for the All-Conference Team, and to BC3’s Dan Beebe, who in his first season was selected as the WPCC Coach of the Year. The Pioneers will travel to Arnold, Maryland this weekend to defend the program’s first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Region XX crown.

The Rho Phi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at BC3, the prestigious international academic honor society, claimed two awards at a conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Rho Phi was recognized as a Middle States Gold Chapter and awarded for the Best Completion event in Pennsylvania. Joining me at the conference were Rho Phi co-advisors Morgan Rizzardi and Amanda Fleming; Rho Phi President Chris Slay; Rho Phi Vice President Megan Marnic; and Rho Phi Secretary Jacob Hetrick.

BC3’s recognition by The Pittsburgh Business Times for having the No. 1 salary-to-cost ratio among 42 area public and private institutions.

Such accomplishments are possible only with a great faculty, amazing staff, courageous Board of Trustees, caring BC3 Education Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors, and incredible donors. Imagine what the future holds for our amazing institution of higher education?

Rho Phi has been in existence at the College since 1968. It recognized our students of excellence – those who have earned a 3.5 grade point average and are active campus and community members.

A five-star ranking is the highest honor in which a Phi Theta Kappa chapter can earn. Last year, the College moved to a five-start chapter. Recognition at this level focuses on service and excelling in what is called an “Honors in Action” project – which is set by the international office.

This year’s Rho Phi Chapter has connected its project to our larger strategic plan that is addressing the opiate epidemic and stigma surrounding it. The College’s Tracy Hack is leading our opiate initiative with an active advisory team.

Rho Phi President Chris Slay coordinated five students to speak in the video about either their personal struggles or of someone close to them.

Greetings from Eastern West Virginia Community College in beautiful Moorefield, WV. I am attending the Fall Conference of the Community Colleges of the Appalachia (CCA). Not sure if you realized, but BC3 is part of the Appalachian region.

I am delighted to join Presidents and staff members from states like Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Ohio and of course West Virginia. Furthermore, I am honored to serve on the CCA Board of Directors.

As a former journalist, I watch, read, and listen to the news with a critical eye.

What angle did the reporter take? How effective were the quotes? Was the reporting accurate?

Unfortunately, my analysis of the media lately has been of sorrow for what it is reporting. Global news is chock-full of natural disasters and desperation. Here in the United States, natural disasters have left citizens vulnerable. And the news from Las Vegas could not be more gut-wrenching.